The present invention relates generally to microdevices and more particularly to micromechanical devices providing two degrees of motion.
Micromechanical devices have heretofore been disclosed that provide two degrees of motion. See, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,536,988 and 5,963,367 and the article xe2x80x9cOn-chip Processingxe2x80x9d by Motamedi, Wu and Pister, SPIE Proceedings on Micromachining and Microfabrication, October 1966. Unfortunately, such devices are not suitable for providing large motions in first and second directions as movement of an element controlled thereby in a first direction can result in undesirable movements in the second direction. Furthermore, applied external accelerations can undesirably affect the performance of such devices by moving the parts controlled thereby. Balanced microdevices have been disclosed, but only for providing a single degree of motion. See, for example, International Publication Number WO 01/43268.
In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a micromechanical device having first and second microactuators for providing two degrees of motion to a movable member.
Another object of the invention is to provide a micromechanical device of the above character in which undesirable motion of the movable member in the second degree of motion is minimized when the movable member is moved in the first degree of motion.
Another object of the invention is to provide a micromechanical device of the above character that is substantially mechanically balanced in the two degrees of motion.
The present invention provides a micromechanical device comprising a substrate, a movable member overlying the substrate, first and second microactuators carried by the substrate and a coupling assembly for connecting the first and second microactuators to the movable member. The first microactuator moves the movable member in a first substantially linear direction and the second microactuator moves the movable member in a second substantially linear direction substantially perpendicular to the first direction. The coupling assembly includes a first linkage coupled to the first microactuator and a second linkage coupled to the second microactuator. Each of the first and second linkage has a pivot for permitting the respective linkage to pivot when moving the movable member.